Mexico blanks Curacao 2-0 to win Group C

Published 10:50 pm, Sunday, July 16, 2017

Mexico defeated Curacao 2-0 during a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer match in San Antonio on Sunday.

Mexico defeated Curacao 2-0 during a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer match in San Antonio on Sunday.

Photo: Eric Gay /Associated Press

Mexico blanks Curacao 2-0 to win Group C

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SAN ANTONIO — The final game of the CONCACAF Gold Cup Group C tournament featured a doubleheader in front of 44,232 fans at the Alamodome. Mexico picked up their second victory of the tournament, blanking Curacao 2-0 in the final game of the evening. Curacao was making their CONCACAF debut after joining the organization in 2016. El Salvador played Jamaica to a 1-1 draw in the opening game.

El Salvador, Jamaica and Mexico all move on to the quarterfinals that start on Wednesday while Curacao is eliminated. El Salvador battles the United States on Wednesday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. On Thursday, Jamaica takes on Canada and Mexico meets Honduras at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

It did not take long for El Tri to get the fans at the Alamodome on their feet. Mexico scored 22 minutes into the game after defender Raul Lopez dribbled the ball down the right side of the field and sent a cross that was headed in by Angel Sepulveda. Mexico secured the victory on a goal by striker Edson Alvarez in the 91st minute of the game as he caught a loose ball that Curacao was attempting to send away. Alvarez intercepted the ball and let it sail into the right corner of the net to seal the win.

The Mexican offense was visible from the start as they controlled the touches on the ball with 5-2 shots on goal in the first half and finished 9-8. In addition they had 226 completed pass in comparison to Curacao who finished with 104 in the opening half. El Tri finished with 352 completed passes while Curacao had 206.

On the defensive side, Mexico was tested but the individual that held down the fort was goalkeeper Jesus Corona. The pressing Curacao offense, that was attempting to find a spark after Mexico drew first blood in the first half, came out firing often at Corona but he held his ground throughout the game. In the second half Curacao sent three consecutive shots on goal that Corona turned away. Corona finished with seven saves and was named Male Athlete of the Game that was voted by the fans.

In the opening game of the night El Salvador only needed 15 minutes to find the back of the net. Striker Nelson Bonilla slipped by the Jamaican defense and drove the ball down the left side of the field to boot the ball in on the opposite side of the net with a defender hanging on him.

"I just want to congratulate the player and today they demonstrated what they are made of," El Salvador coach Eduardo Lara said. "I am very happy with the way that they played today. We knew Jamaica was a strong team and they were going to give us problems but we did not stop attacking."

The first half was all Jamaica who had 4-3 shots on goal with the first one coming 15 seconds into the game. Jamaica's Romario Williams attempted to boot the ball in but it missed the net by mere inches as El Salvador goalkeeper Derby Carrillo was caught off guard. Each team had three corner kicks that did not produced any goals. Jamaica also had more touches on the ball 133-129 than El Salvador but only had 88 percent on passing compared to their opponent who recorded 90 percent.

Jamaica kept on pressing El Salvador and utilized a penalty kick in the second half after midfielder Narciso Orellana was whistled and issued a yellow card. Jamaica striker Darren Mattocks booted the ball in the right corner just out of the reach of Carrillo to knot up the game at the 64th minute.